Hood latch



J. F. WHITE HOOD LATCH Nov. 5, 1929.

Original Filed April 27. 1921 Patented Nov. 5, 1929 Unire JOHN F. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR TO WHITE PRODUCTS C0., O

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS l Y HOOD LATCH Original application led April 27, 1921, Serial No. 464,282. Divided and this application filed .Tune 27,

' 1923. Serial No. 648,166. t

The present invention pertains in general to latches, and contemplates specifically the provision of a novel hood latch for motor vehicles. V y

The principal purpose of the invention, broadly stated, is the provision of such a latch which is of a simple, durable, construction, which is easil manipulated, and which is characterized by an extremely pleasing inconspicuous appearance.

@ne of the most salient features of the latch lies in its eiiicient manner of operation, wherein the strong spring tension provided for maintaining the hood in its fastened position is applied thereto without effort by a progressively increasing leverage through the fulcrumed movement of the latch handle.

Another important feature resides in the automatic interlocking of the component latch portions and associated keeper under the previously mentioned spring tension, whereby forces tending to raise the hood when the same is fastened merely result in a more secure locking of the latching means.

Gther advantages present in this invention will beV appreciated as the nature of the same is better understood from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein is set forth what is now considered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention. The

particular embodiment disclosed is merely illustrative, however, and is not intended to be construed as a restriction on the spirit of the invention or as an unnecessary limitation of the scope of the claims.

In the drawings- Fig.`1 is a side elevation of the latch in its fastened position, showing in section the adjacent hood and chassis portions; and

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the latch and keeper as viewed from within the hood.

Referring in detail to the drawings, it will be observed that the side of the hood 10 which is hinged tothe upper portion of the same at 11 contacts, when lowered into the closed position illustrated, against an upwardly bent iange 12 of a positioning strip carried by the chassis 13 of the vehicle.

An escutcheon plate 14 is secured to the outer side of the hood by bolts 15. 'A narrow circular shape. rlhestraight edge 21 of this semi-circular head lies at an obtuse angle to the axis of the stem 18 and, when the Ahood is` closed and the latch fastened, substantially fills the slot 16 flush with the plate 14. A deep angular notch 22 is cut in the curved edge 23 of the head 20 adjacent the top of the straight edge 21, and constitutes a keeper-engaging hook.

An aperture 24 is formed in the head 2O and provides a pivotal fulcruming bearing forthe hook member 17 on a transverse pin 25 which is journaled at both its ends in ears 26 which are preferably formedv as integral inward projections from the plate 14 which borders the slot 16 on the outer face of the side of the hood 10.

rThe keeper ofthe latching device comprises a plate 27 which isbolted at one end to the chassis, and is bent slightly upward at its other end and there provided with two spaced threaded cylindrical lugs 28. Spiral springs 29, the coils of which when unstressed are substantially closed, telescope over the lugs and are secured thereto in threaded engagement with the same. The springs eX- tend upwardly at the same slightly oblique angle as the lugs and are secured in a similar manner about the downwardly depending ends of an inverted U-shaped yoke 30. The lugs 28 constitute guiding means e'ective to maintain the springs in proper position to present the yoke for engagement by the latch. The yoke, when not pulled upwardly by the co-acting hooking member 17 against the resistancel of the coil springs 29, is normally supported by the springs at approximately the height of the pin 25, being deflected and pressed laterally inward by the head 20, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the hood is not in its closed position, however, the resilient construction of the keeper causes the spring sides thereof toassume a position co-aXial with that occupied when in its Van stretched keeper when the latch isy in its fastened position, as shown in full linesin Figs. l and 2.

The deep angular notch 22 of the head 20 is adapted to engage the yoke 30 of the keeper and raise it into a position against the shoulders 32 which constitute the sides'of the notches 31mostremo-ved from the general plane of the side of the hood 10, whereupon a slight further movement of ythe notch 2 2.

and containedV yoke :toward the ears 26 by t-he'continued downward movement ofthe latch handle 17 causes the yoke to cam over said shoulders 32 and become firmly seated inthe 'notches 31 on the far side thereof.

V"Ilhe bottoms of the notches .31 and 22 are disposed .at substantially the same distances abovethe pivoting pin 25 whereby to eliminateany play of thehooking member 17 when the latch is in its kfastened position. Both sides 33 and 34 ofthe notch 22 are, of course, a greater distance above the pin 25 than the shoulders 32 of theears 26 in order that upon pivotal movement of the head 20 in either direction one of the sides 33 or 34 of the notch will engage the keeper andv cause the same 4to cam into or out of the notches `31 over the shoulders 32. i

WVhile the edge 23 of the head 20 has been referred to as curved and the head 20 has been referred to "as semi-cylindrical, the contourof the head 20, which includes the edge 23, may be of any shape which will, in its downward movement, serve to cam the yoke 30 outwardly whereby to assume a position wherein it'may subsequently snap inwardly into the' notch 22. It will be noted that the angle formedby the'yoke-engagaing notch in the head 20, the fulcruming point at the pivot pin and the handle, isobtuse. This construction results in an increased leverage applied in latching the device commensurate with the increasing resistance of thekeeper as the ment mounted onfthe inside ofthehood, aresilient keeper, and .means separate from the .keeper and element and operable from eX- teriorly ofthe hood to bring the keeper and lthe elementinto interlocked engagement.

2. In a hood latch, a keeper-engaging element fixedlyvmounted on the inside of the hood, a resilient keeper, and means operable from exteriorly of the hood to bring the keeper and theelement into interlocked engagement.- Y

3. In a hood latch, a bracket fixedly mounted on the inside of the hood and provided w-i-tha notch, a resilient keeper, Aand a hooking member passing through an aperture in the hood adjacent the bracket and provided' exteriorly of the hood with an operating handle and interiorly of the vhood with a portion for hooking the keeper over the bracket into the notch in the same.

4. In a hood latch, a bracket fixerdly mounted on the inside-.of the Vhood ,and provided with an upwardly facing notch in the upper portion thereof, a resilient keeper, a,nd a pivotally mounted hooking member passing Vthrough gan aperture in .the hood ,adjacent bracket and provided vexteriorly of the Y hoed with anoperating handle and interiorly sf the hood with a portion for hooking Athe ree-per over the bracket into the notch inthe eine upon the handle being ldepressed.

5. In a yhood latch, a bracket fiXedly meunted onthe insideof thethoodand characed by two spaced inwardly extendingears ng in iyvardly facing notches in the upper A i ions thereof, a .resilient keeper ,provided with .a yoke adapted toV span both Vears and seat in both notches, and a hooking -member passing through an aperture inthe :hood ad,- :lacentv the `ears and pivotally mounted inter-- mediate itsvends between vthe earson a .transverse pin carried thereby, said member being provided exteriorly of the hood with ,an operating handle adapted for movementinayertical plane and Ainteriorly of ,the hood .with a hook -port-ion adaptedto hook under `the yoke of the vkeeper and raise the same up Vover `the ears into the notches thereof, the bracket and keeper being latched whengthe handle of Athe member is moved downwardly and being unlatched when Athehandle of the member is moved upwardly.

In testimony whereof signed my Iname.

JOHN l". WHITE I have .hereunto 

